“Squad” members Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) and Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) brought in rental income while co-sponsoring legislation that would have suspended rent payments.
According to Tlaib’s financial disclosure report filed last week, she raked in up to $50,000 from her rental property in Detroit, Michigan.
Meanwhile, Pressley’s report shows she brought in more than $117,000 from all four of her Boston properties.
In March 2021, their fellow “Squad” member, Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), introduced the Rent and Mortgage Cancellation Act.
“To avoid an even larger crisis, we must cancel rent and mortgage payments during this pandemic,” Omar said.
She added, “This isn’t a radical idea. It’s what is needed to prevent an even bigger crisis.”
Pressley issued her own statement supporting the legislation.
“Housing is a critical determinant of health, economic opportunity and social mobility,” Pressley said.
She continued, “With the economic impact of this pandemic worsening and the threat of eviction and homelessness looming large for families nationwide, we must take every measure possible to keep families safely housed, forgive all rental debt, and ensure that the credit scores of hard hit families are not forever tarnished.”
Additionally, Pressley said at the time she was “proud to partner with Congresswoman Omar on the Rent and Mortgage Cancellation Act, which meets the moment and will help move us towards an America where no person has to choose between putting food on the table and keeping a roof over their head.”
In a tweet in 2020, Pressley suggested eviction “is an act of violence that has resulted in hundreds of thousands of additional COVID cases.”
In case you missed it:
An eviction is an act of violence that has resulted in hundreds of thousands of additional COVID cases.
— Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (@RepPressley) December 7, 2020
We need to cancel rent, cancel mortgage, halt evictions & provide legal representation for those at risk of unlawful eviction. This is a matter of public health & safety. https://t.co/xdIXjizsjf
Tlaib argued on Twitter “residents need help during this ongoing pandemic and this legislation seeks to provide that help to ensure our neighbors have the housing they need.”
HAPPENING NOW: I'm joining Rep. @Ilhan Omar and fellow colleagues for a press conference on the Rent & Mortgage Cancellation Act. Our residents need help during this ongoing pandemic & this legislation seeks to provide that help to ensure our neighbors have the housing they need. https://t.co/RABr5VBpG4
— Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (@RepRashida) March 11, 2021
Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Cori Bush (D-Mo.) also co-sponsored the legislation.